Suspected cough syrup poisoning kills eight children in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan

Eight children, aged between one and seven, have died over the past month in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, with authorities suspecting cough syrup poisoning as the common cause, The New Indian Express reported.

While six deaths were reported from Madhya Pradsh’s Chhindwara district, two fatalities took place in Rajasthan’s Sikar and Bharatpur districts.

In both states, health authorities have issued restrictions and advisories, and investigations are underway.

In Madhya Pradesh, six children from the Parasia area in Chhindwara district died between September 4 and September 26 after developing kidney problems and reduced urine output after they had been given cough syrups for mild fever and cold, The New Indian Express reported.

After an initial recovery, the children’s conditions deteriorated rapidly, with symptoms including vomiting, swelling of the body and ultimately kidney failure.

Chhindwara District Collector Sheelendra Singh confirmed that two commonly prescribed cough syrups were found in all six cases. Pending test results, an advisory has been issued to restrict the sale, use and prescription of these syrups.

Samples of the syrups have been sent to laboratories in Bhopal, while the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Centre for Disease Control teams are investigating on the ground, the newspaper reported.

In Rajasthan, two children died and eight others fell ill after consuming a generic cough syrup supplied through government health centres, The Times...

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